Advance Auto Parts announced on Friday afternoon that their sponsorship of two-time NHRA Funny Car champion Cruz Pedregon would end after the 2009 season.

A disappointed Pedregon reflected on the loss of his sponsorship which began in 2001.

“It’s been a great eight years,” Pedregon said. “The bottom line is that they are going in a different direction and that leaves me without a major sponsor. I have some things in the works but nothing confirmed yet. I’m cautiously optimistic.”

Pedregon captured the 2008 NHRA Funny Car title, his second since winning the 1992 crown. He reached eighteen final rounds during his Advance Auto Parts tenure.

“I will always look back at the Advance Auto Parts car, and as a company that took a chance on me … it wasn’t like I was a household name,” Pedregon said. “For all they knew I could have went broke in a year or two. We worked hard and had a few tough years where we sent bodies flying skyward but for the most part I had some great people work for me.”

Advance Auto Parts announced on Friday afternoon that their sponsorship of two-time NHRA Funny Car champion Cruz Pedregon would end after the 2009 season.

A disappointed Pedregon reflected on the loss of his sponsorship which began in 2001.

“It’s been a great eight years,” Pedregon said. “The bottom line is that they are going in a different direction and that leaves me without a major sponsor. I have some things in the works but nothing confirmed yet. I’m cautiously optimistic.”

Pedregon captured the 2008 NHRA Funny Car title, his second since winning the 1992 crown. He reached eighteen final rounds during his Advance Auto Parts tenure.

“I will always look back at the Advance Auto Parts car, and as a company that took a chance on me … it wasn’t like I was a household name,” Pedregon said. “For all they knew I could have went broke in a year or two. We worked hard and had a few tough years where we sent bodies flying skyward but for the most part I had some great people work for me.”

Pedregon confirms that his plans for 2010 aren’t confirmed without a primary sponsor in place.

“I want to be back in 2010, strong as ever but my deal is cut and dry … I don’t have an outside business to run this car out of my business account. The sponsorship dollars run this car and if they’re not there, we don’t run.”

He did confirm he had a package of associate sponsors Herzog, Palms Casino, Sioux City and Snap-on Tools with multi-year contracts.

“The bottom line is we have to replace the primary sponsor,” Pedregon added. “The timing is never right for these things and I can’t imagine anyone going through what I am going through and saying the timing was right. It just sucks.”

Pedregon finds a measure of positive in what will likely turn into a negative if he cannot procure the necessary funding.

“It’s been a tough year and these things happen,” Pedregon said. “But I always think back to the guy who just lost his job and has a house full of kids. I don’t have it so bad. I race for a living and it has its tough moments as a team owner but my intentions are to race. I’ve never thought about doing anything other than racing.”

Advertisement